I’m catching up on email and working at my desk when I realize that Maya’s suddenly become awfully quiet. Uh-oh.

When I turn around, I see her quietly sitting on the floor behind me with her copy of “Goodnight Moon,” — which she’s pulled out of her book basket. She turns the pages and points to the objects in the pictures just like we do when we read it before bedtime. Awwwwwwwwww!

By the way, we’re now up to four or five steps in a row, numerous times per day. The kid is walking!

I love reading dooce. Really, I do.

But what’s the deal with her losing the blog layout (except the header) and pasting ads all over the site? What would it take to get rid of the stupid things?

She’s come to terrorize your town. Wreck your houses. Eat your little blue people.

It’s…BABEZILLA!

(Maybe it should really be Droolzilla?)

I still see Maya as a baby, but a friend pointed out to me this week that she really *does* look like a little girl more now. Guess it had to happen sometime.

I had a contractor paint my dark, dark brown baseboards and doors this week, so the living room had a big pile of furniture in the middle of it.

But what’s that on the sofa? A doll?

Yup, she’s a doll, alright.

Maya was just a smidge too small last year to enjoy the big pile of leaves that accumulate here each fall. This year, she wasn’t too sure about them at first, but eventually adjusted.

Then, of course, she started to eat the brightest yellow leaves.

(I’ve got to amuse someone, right?)

Said as I was about to start wash…”Okay, M…your diapers are done, now it’s time to do my laundry. That would be the MOTHER LOAD of laundry.”

Chortle.

Hey, other babies/toddlers out there! Thought I’d give you some pointers for getting a sleepyhead mama out of bed so she can do your bidding all day:

1. When she’s sound asleep in the morning, sit on her chest. Then bounce up and down repeatedly. This part is most effective when done about 30-45 minutes before the alarm clock is scheduled to go off.

2. If she tries to let you nurse (yum! breakfast, part 1!) as a snooze alarm, kick her in the bladder while you get your morning snack. You don’t want to risk her falling asleep again, do you?

3. If she wakes up grumpy, be sure to fall backward on the bed, giggling hysterically. She can’t resist your laughs, you know, so she’s start the day in a good mood anyway, despite the bruised ribs and tender bladder.

Maya

Maya took her first steps today…three of them.

Holdin’ on to my hat…it’s gonna be a wild ride soon!

Little Miss has a new activity at her grandparents’ house - a swingset installed for all the grandkids!

Boy have we come a long way when it comes to swings! For now, the only one Maya can use is the baby bucket, but there’s a “big kid” bench swing, a disc to sit/stand on, and a trapeze all waiting for the Arlington bunch to visit.

Oh…what’s caught Maya’s attention?

Grandpa shows Maya how it’s done. Maya *loves* to go as high and fast as I’ll push her, and I can just see the wheels turning in her head when she sees my dad reaching the trees on the “big kid” swing!

Wheeeeeee!

She’s having so much fun, she *almost* forgives me for the floppy purple fleece hat. If she were 12, she’d have rolled her eyes when I pulled it on her head, LOL.